By Ejiro Nesisa
Against the backdrop of the rumour making the rounds that a popular Hotel known as Big Dafe Hotel in Ughelli North Local Government Area Delta State that it is a centre for human trafficking and child prostitution, the owner of the hotel, Dafe Kpohraror has come up to say, this is not true. Kpohraror cleared the air on this while briefing newsmen on the false publication which he said, is the handiwork of mischief makers. He therefore urged the general public to disregard the publication in this regard.
According to him, Big Dafe Hotel is a registered company with the Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) of Nigeria for lodging and accommodation and has been well known in Delta State over the years. He said, as hotelier, the Management of the hotel does its best to comply with rules and regulations guiding the operations of hotel business in the state.
His words:”To put the record straight, Big Dafe Hotel is not known as a centre for human trafficking, and child prostitution as peddled in some quarters rather, it is solely known for lodging and accommodation“.
He frowned at the Nigeria Police’ invasion and arrest of guests and lodgers saying that, the hotel is a not centre for human trafficking neither for prostitution. He said, he usually carries out routine checks on the hotel to see how lodgers are faring adding that, if sees unfamiliar faces in the hotel premises, he questions them and ask the security men to drive such one(s) away.
He said, for instance, on Thursday 12th July 2024, when he discovered three strange faces in the hotel premises, he immediately called them for questioning and when he was not satisfied with their explanations, he ordered his security men to drive them out of the hotel premises and they left immediately. According to him, he was surprised to hear that policemen invaded one of his hotels and arrested guests and lodgers. He added that from every available book records of the hotel, the three teenagers were not by any means guests to the hotel.
Commenting on this development, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Police Aniwonda Olufemi who declared zero tolerance on human trafficking/ child prostitution in the state exonerated the Management of Big Dafe Hotel in the issue concerning Chiyere(Surname withheld) as the Hotel was not aware that Chinyere is a human trafficking/child prostitution suspect. The Management of hotel therefore distances itself from the activities of the said Chinyere.
Recall that Nigeria Policemen from Ekpan and Ebrumede Divisions of Delta State Command on July 15, 2024, invaded Big Dafe Hotel’s premises and arrested staffers , guests, and lodgers for an alleged offence of human trafficking and child prostitution.